Diversity and social cohesion

Abstract

The issue of diversity, in its broadest sense, is discussed here in its relation to social cohesion, cross-cultural relations, ingroup–outgroup relations and educational interventions. The main thesis of the paper is that real social cohesion in an ingroup rests on the acknowledgment of and the dialog with the diversities of the members of the ingroup itself. And that diversity relating to the outgroup and to the various members of the outgroup is understood and accepted, given that diversity among the members of the ingroup is also understood and accepted. This way, cross-cultural relations within an ingroup and between the ingroup and outgroups are fostered, which partly contradicts some traditional assumptions in social psychology research, according to which social cohesion in the ingroup is accompanied by hostility toward the outgroup. A study we conducted in Italian schools on youths’ attitudes toward multiculturalism with the use of focus groups indicated that most participants have lost or have never experienced a feeling of general social cohesion. It also indicated that lack of social cohesion creates fear and that fear can provoke aggression. Some considerations are presented aiming to help teachers foster social cohesion and positive cross-cultural contact in their classes.

Il tema della diversità, intesa nella sua accezione più ampia, viene discusso in riferimento alla coesione sociale, alle relazioni cross-culturali, alle relazioni tra ingroup e outgroup, e agli interventi educativi. La tesi fondamentale dell’articolo è che una vera coesione sociale in un ingroup poggia sul riconoscimento e sul dialogo con le diversità dei membri dell’ingroup stesso e che la diversità collegata all’outgroup e ai vari membri dell’outgroup è capita ed accettata a condizione che venga anche capita e accettata la diversità tra i membri dell’ingroup. In questo modo sono incoraggiate le relazioni cross-culturali nell’ambito dell’ingroup e tra l’ingroup e gli outgroup, il che in parte contraddice alcuni assunti tradizionali della ricerca in psicologia sociale secondo cui la coesione sociale nell’ingroup si accompagna alla sua ostilità nei confronti dell’outgroup. Uno studio che abbiamo condotto nelle scuole italiane, utilizzando dei focus group, sugli atteggiamenti dei giovani nei confronti del multiculturalismo ha evidenziato che la maggior parte dei giovani ha perduto o non ha mai provato l’esperienza di una generale coesione sociale. Ha anche evidenziato che la mancanza di coesione sociale crea paura e che la paura può provocare aggressività. Vengono presentate alcune considerazioni allo scopo di aiutare gli insegnanti a stimolare la coesione sociale e un positivo contatto cross-culturale nelle loro classi.

Keywords:

• diversity
• social cohesion
• migration
• cross-cultural relations
• educational interventions

Notes

This article is partly based on a paper presented at IAIE International Conference 2012: ‘Tapalewilis for Intercultural Education: sharing experiences, building alternatives’, Xalapa, Mexico, 13–17 February. It is one of the outcomes of a study conducted within the ‘Progetto Migrazioni’ – Department of Human and Social Sciences, Cultural Heritage, Italian National Research Council.

1. Here the adjective ‘real’ means ‘true,’ ‘actual,’ ‘deep.’

2. In Italian schools, immigrant pupils are enrolled in mainstream classes.

3. Suffice it here to mention the percentage of students expressing feelings of anger towards immigrants (35%) and of those expressing feelings of distrust toward the Italian government (75%). It is important to point out that participants’ distrust toward the Italian government remained stable and constant during the whole focus group. Instead, we will see that most participants who expressed feelings of anger towards immigrants also expressed feelings of affection and respect toward them (in particular toward immigrants they personally knew) in the course of the focus group. Indeed, our data indicated that this co-occurrence of negative and positive emotions very often characterizes youths’ attitudes toward immigrants and multiculturalism in general.

4. Here, I used the adjective ‘general’ as I wanted to refer to social cohesion at various levels, and especially at higher levels, and not only at the level of the school, the class, or the peer group.

5. In the years 2000–2011, more than 1700 convicts died in Italian jails. One third of them committed suicide (http://www.ristretti.it/areestudio/disagio/ricerca/2010/index.htm).

6. This comment immediately followed the previous one, made by another participant.